You do realise that rather than just basing all my opinions on a survey that landlords do actually spend the time to study how the rental market might be going ? After all , it's in their interest to be across all aspects of their investment .
It's one thing to look at the results of a survey , it's another thing to understand
why those results are occurring .
So , while prices in a couple of the big cities are getting very expensive , it's not the whole story .
The casualization of the workforce . Big lifestyle changes . Overseas working opportunities . The gfc and tighter credit . Baby boomers retiring and going on the road . Compulsory super etc , etc .
I talk to my tenants all the time . They range from single mums to middle aged couples and young ( and not so young ) professionals . I also to talk to other landlords and homeowners about the property market to help me understand the current situation .
There's plenty of cheap houses around Australia where there is employment . In some cases those houses would even be affordable to people on welfare or very low incomes .
In many cases people choose where they want to live . While it's obviously ideal to live closer to family if you can , it's not essential .
Take the example of the soldier settlers after ww2 . They were given opportunity by the government to spread out and help develop Australia into the great country that it is today . So that's what they did . Took the opportunity , didn't complain and got on with it .
Now we have travel writers complaining that they can't afford a house and yet have a travel history that Kevin Rudd would be envious of .
In a way we have a similar situation now . There are many areas around the country where real estate is affordable , there is employment and there are most services available . But , people choose to live in big cities and absolutely struggle to make ends meet . Why they do that I don't know ?
People in many cases are choosing to rent because this is the age of the multiple career . People will now have several careers in their lifetime . That will likely require them to move around . Many more people are choosing to have less kids or no kids at all . There also many more lifestyle opportunites available that weren't there before which mean that the traditional 3 bedroom house on a 1/4 acre block is history .
I like how you're now starting to comment on some of us who pay a fair bit of tax and how renters might be a burden on us . Has it occurred to you that they will be our customers and will only help us expand our portfolios .
Also , I hope you get yourself a decent paying job one day . I'd like to see your opinion on tax paying then .
